They Don't Know
by BookWorm37
Summary: Alex and Bobby hear some nasty rumors about why Alex stayed with Bobby. BA partnership. Second chapter up! Missing scene from first chapter, BA fluff. COMPLETE
1. Chapter 1

Summary: Alex and Bobby are on their way to lunch after hearing some nasty rumors about why Alex stayed. Starts in between 'Masquerade' and 'The War at Home'. 'About Us' by Brooke featuring Paul Wall.

A/N: Just listening to 'About Us' I thought of Bobby and Alex and their relationship. I just couldn't help it.

* * *

"I heard that when she gave birth a few years ago, it was really his but Deakins made them give the baby up if they wanted to stay together on the job," Detective Lisa Calder told her friends. 

"I heard that she didn't want to have the baby, but he _made_ her," the second of the three women, Detective Molly Yenta, added.

They shushed as the topics of their discussion passed them, thinking that they hadn't heard what they were talking about. Unfortunately for them, Alex and Bobby both had heard what they were saying. The woman in question pulled out her picture phone, flipped it open and called up a picture of her three-year-old nephew.

"Does this child even _look_ like Bobby Goren is his father?" she asked the three women, her anger and irritation obvious.

The three women looked down, embarrassed to have been caught and wise enough to know not to say a word as Alex continued, "That's because he's _not_! I don't know about you, Calder, but I for one am _not_ sleeping with my partner."

Without another word Alex turned around and continued walking with her partner back to their desks. Bobby stayed silent as his partner quietly fumed over the nerve of some of the people in their department. When Deakins had been there no one had dared to say anything about them in the squad room. No sooner was he gone, and Captain Ross took his place, and the rumors started up again with full force.

"Eames," Bobby said quietly about half an hour later, "They don't deserve your anger." He looked at his watch, "Come on, partner, I'll buy you lunch."

Alex's mouth quirked in a small smile, "The deli on the corner?"

He looked hurt for a second before saying, "No, that Italian place ten blocks down that you like so much."

"Wanna take the car?"

"It's ten _blocks_, Eames."

"So? I don't wanna walk."

"Fine."

A few minutes later they were in the car, on their way to the restaurant. The radio was on, and Alex was about to turn it off when the words filtered through her anger and registered in her brain:

_We got em talkin' but really they ain't saying too much  
Just speculating the gossip truth is they don't know about us_

_I see your lips moving but I don't hear nothing  
Everybody talking like they really know something about us  
But they don't know nothing about us  
I see your lips moving but I don't hear nothing  
Everybody talking like they really wanna know about us   
But they don't know nothing about us_

Bobby glanced at his petite partner as she drove the short distance to the restaurant. "You know, Eames – they really don't know anything about us."

Alex sighed, "I know. But it still hurts when they accuse us of that stuff."

"It's not like this is the first time, though."

"No, I guess you're right. They've been doing it ever since I didn't leave after you used me as bait in the Talbot case."

Bobby glanced at her as the song continued, this time with the man doing what he could only assume passed for singing.

_They talkin' bout us so I guess were doing something right  
Ballin' in the mix with the camera lights shining bright  
They know we caked up but they don't know how much we worth  
people clear the ceiling off because we getting work._

When the woman started singing again, Bobby watched as Alex started to relax and actually listen to the words of the song. It fit their situation so well … no one really knew anything about them. Mike Logan and Captain Deakins at least didn't listen to the rumors. Then Deakins had to go and retire on them, leaving them with a captain who it seemed did nothing but listen to the rumors.

_Picture yourself up in my shoes  
Top story in the news  
Everyday its something new  
Everybody's watching you   
But they ain't seen nothing  
They Ain't heard nothing   
Everybody's just fronting its what they do_

_I see your lips moving but I don't hear nothing  
Everybody talking like they really know something about us  
But they don't know nothing about us  
I see your lips moving but I don't hear nothing  
Everybody talking like they really wanna know about us  
But they don't know nothing about us_

_Stop, stop, stop  
I'm not listening  
You can save your breath  
I don't wanna hear the rumors people are spreading  
Why, why do people go  
Out of there way  
To try to bring us down  
They wanna know about us_

"I think this is our theme song," Alex said as the last verse was repeated. She glanced at Bobby as she waited for the light to turn green, "What do you think, Big Guy?"

Bobby's brow furrowed, "I thought that other song was our theme song?"

"What one was that?"

"Here We Are by Jimmy Buffet. Remember, Eames? It was playing the first time I met your family and your sister said that would make a good theme song for us."

She just shrugged as she pulled into a recently vacated parking spot, causing the man who was also trying to pull in to glare at her and stick up a finger she didn't really want to see. "So?" she said, "We can have more than one theme song, Bobby. I was talking to my niece the other day and she was telling me about this new song by the Dixie Chicks called Not Ready to Make Nice. That'd make a good theme song, too."

"Why did you stay with me after the Talbot case?" Bobby asked suddenly as he held the door the restaurant open for her.

Alex smiled at him as if he was asking the obvious, "You made me dinner."

"What?" Bobby was beginning to think he'd never being to understand his partner. He'd thought he had the opposite sex down pretty well, but Alex was always throwing curve balls at him.

"After that case … I was grumbling about married men using women and completely forgot to eat lunch. You took me back to your apartment and cooked me dinner. I would contend that that was the first time I ever really had steak." She grinned at his blush, "As mad at you as I get sometimes, Bobby, you're still my best friend. Why would I give that up?"

Bobby looked down at his feet, trying to digest her words. After ordering, he looked at her with the little boy look in his eyes that made her want to kiss him. "Eames – Alex …" he trailed off, unsure if he could continue.

"What is it, Bobby?" Alex asked, concern evident in her face and voice.

"My mother's dying," he finally blurted out. "Sh-she was diagnosed with cancer last month. I-It's stage three."

Alex's hand snaked out and she placed it in Bobby's. With a squeeze she said, "We'll get through this, Bobby. Together. Just … don't shut me out."

---

As pissed as she was that he'd stormed out of the squad room and had been stonewalling her all day, Alex was even more enraged at Captain Ross and the Commissioner for calling Bobby away from what little time left his mother had. Ross looked at her in confusion after getting over the shock of Goren's outburst.

"Is he coming back?" he asked the big detective's partner.

"Not today," Alex said, the anger making her voice short and snippy. "Now, if you'll excuse me, Captain, I have paperwork to finish."

Ross let her go, resigned to having to find out what was going on from someone else. Eames did her paperwork (and Goren's) in record time before gathering her things and rushing out of the building. Mike Logan stopped her before she reached the elevators (who had left something in his desk that he needed).

"Whoa, Alex, where are you off to in such a rush?" Logan asked with a friendly smile.

Her eyes told him all he needed to know. He let her go and off she went to find her big oaf of a partner. "Don't let him isolate himself again," he said as parting advice.

"I know that, Logan!" she snapped, "I know Bobby better than anyone else here." As the elevator doors opened she said, "I'll call to let you know if he's coming back to work."

"What happened?"

"Ross isn't Deakins and just doesn't know," Alex said, hoping that would be enough for the other detective. It was all she could give him. The doors closed and she was off to save her relationship with Bobby Goren.

When Logan walked into the bullpen, Ross was on him in a second. "Logan, my office, now!" he ordered.

Mike walked into Ross's office, unsure why he had been called. "Do you know what's going on with Goren and Eames?" the Captain finally asked.

Mike raised his eyebrows, "What's going on with them? What do you mean, Captain?"

"Are they sleeping together?" Ross asked bluntly, trying to determine the extent of their relationship by eliminating all possibilities.

It was all Mike could do not to laugh at that thought: Goren and Eames sleeping together. "Goren doesn't sleep, sir," he replied with a straight face.

Ross's eyes narrowed at him. "Logan," he said warningly.

"As far as I know, they aren't sleeping together – and with their solve and conviction rate being what it is, sir, I must ask you why you'd care."

"It's my job to care, Logan. Quit being a smart ass."

"Captain Ross, with respect sir, they don't do nearly as good a job without each other as they do together," Logan said, knowing that the new captain had to remember what had happened to Goren when Eames was kidnapped. "They've devoted so much of their lives and time to the job, sir. Is it so bad if they get some happiness out of it, too?"

"I don't know, Logan. Is it?"

---

That Monday, Goren returned to work, Eames by his side, much calmer than he had been the Friday before when he'd stormed out. Ross noticed the change in both detectives and had to wonder about it. Eames said something and Goren quirked a smile in response, obviously over what had been bothering him.

The two sat at their desks and continued bantering back and forth to each other while the rest of the squad watched intermittently between their own paperwork and conversations.

It was almost lunch when Bobby and Alex overheard a conversation taking place a little too close to their desks:

"I heard from Sanchez that when she left on Friday to go after him, she jumped him," the first detective said.

The second shook his head, "Naw, man, that can't be true. Look at them – it's like back in the first few years of their partnership. I'd bet that they did have sex though. I mean, I haven't seen Eames in that outfit in a couple months – I think she left it at his place."

Alex raised her eyebrows, looking down at her outfit she tried to remember the last time she'd worn it. It was Bobby who quietly answered her unspoken question, "Six months ago. You wore it when we were working on the Summerhill case."

Alex's lips curved into a smile as she cocked her head at her partner, "You keepin' tabs on my wardrobe now, Goren?"

He shrugged, a sheepish smile appearing on his face, "Photographic memory, Eames. I remember everything you do."

They got back to work on their paperwork, listening as the other two detectives continued to gossip about them. This time, though, Eames didn't get mad. She just thought back to the words of the song they'd listened to in the car a few weeks before:

_I see your lips moving but I don't hear nothing   
Everybody talking like they really know something about us  
But they don't know nothing about us  
I see your lips moving but I don't hear nothing  
Everybody talking like they really wanna know about us  
But they don't know nothing about us_

The rest of squad just didn't understand how Goren and Eames worked. Eames and Goren … the infamous Golden Detectives of Major Case Squad … and no one wanted to know any more than that.

Fin

* * *

A/N: Please review. I know I left a lot to your imagination ... but if you're nice and ask me to, I may write another one shot about what Alex and Bobby did when she found him. 


	2. Missing Scene

A/N: FINALLY! I've been trying to upload this damn thing ever since Thursday. Happy late Thanksgiving!

* * *

Alex ran from One Police Plaza, toward the parking garage and the care Lewis and Bobby had given her after her kidnapping. She flipped open her phone, trying to call Bobby and see where he was, even though she knew the chances of him answering were very slim, indeed. 

When it went directly to voicemail, she growled before dialing the number of Carmel Ridge, hoping he had gone to see his mother. When the receptionist answered, Alex asked if Bobby was there, giving her name and relation to Bobby when the woman wasn't as forthcoming as Alex thought she ought to have been. He was there.

Soon Alex was driving out of Manhattan toward the Carmel Ridge facility to find her errant partner and figure out what was wrong with him _this_ time. She was used to his moods … but this was just too much. He'd been shutting her out for a while now – ever since a week before Thanksgiving he'd just been more quiet, less open about a lot of things with Alex and now he'd just stormed out of the bullpen without so much as an explanation for her!

Ass. Idiot. Pig-headed ingrate.

Alex let her mind wander as she drove the ninety minutes to the facility Bobby's mother lived in. She'd been there three before: once right after she had given birth to her nephew, when Alex and Bobby had stopped by for a visit on Christmas Day; and once on each of the subsequent Christmas Days at Francis's request.

Alex liked the curt older woman. She was sharp and didn't take crap from anyone. The two women had clicked when they first met, sharing stories of some of Bobby's more memorable moments, and discussing some of the great characters in literature. Alex smiled slightly as she remembered Bobby's shocked expression when his mother had made an obscure reference to _The Count of Monte Cristo_ and Alex had responded in like manner. She remembered raising her eyebrows at him and asked, "What, Bobby? You're the only one who can know about books?"

Before she knew it, Alex was pulling into a parking spot in front of Carmel Ridge. She turned off the car and unbuckled her seat belt, unsure if she should go inside or sit there and wait for Bobby to come back out. With a sigh she opened her car door and got out, firm in her decision to go and visit with Francis and try to help Bobby.

Alex walked in and up to the reception desk. She flashed her badge at the unfamiliar woman, "I'm Detective Eames. I called about ninety minutes ago inquiring about Francis Goren and her son, Bobby."

The younger woman nodded, "Yes, Detective, I remember. Francis is doing better now that Bobby is back. You can go in if you want."

Alex nodded before clipping her badge back onto her belt and walking toward Francis's room. Instead of entering right away, she hesitated and knocked on the maple, white stained door.

Bobby opened it moments later, surprise lighting his face when he saw his petite partner on the other side. "Hi," she said softly. "Can I come in?"

Bobby nodded, "Mom, look who's here?"

Francis, seated on her bed with another man who looked very similar to Bobby and was about fifty years old, looked up and smiled when she saw the younger woman, "Alexandra. I was hoping I'd get to see you again before Christmas. Come here."

Alex smiled warmly at the older woman as she walked forward and gave her a gentle hug in greeting. "It's good to see you, too, Francis. I've missed you."

"Nonsense," Francis waved off the comment, "With my Bobby to occupy your time, I doubt you miss seeing me that much, dear."

The woman smiled, knowing enough to not take her words to heart, "That's not true, Francis. Bobby doesn't understand the importance of Louisa May Alcott's novels in the mental development of a young woman. You're the only one I can talk to about books."

Francis laughed, a sound neither of her sons had heard in far too long. "Alexandra, dear, have you met my older son, Charles? Charles, this is Bobby's partner from work, Alexandra Eames."

The older man, Charles, shook Alex's hand politely in greeting, captivated by her natural ease with his mother. He was about to say something when Francis cut him off, "Now, Alexandra, you're not here to take Bobby back to that job of yours, are you?"

Alex shook her head, her eyes flittering over to check on her partner briefly before turning her full attention back to Francis, "No, I'm not. He's all yours for the rest of the day, Francis. I came by to see you, actually."

The thought that Alex had traveled the distance from Manhattan to Carmel Ridge to see his mother made Bobby's heart twinge with something he couldn't identify. Part of him wanted her to be there just because of him, and the other part was thrilled that she had wanted to see his mother. It was the one thing Bobby had been reluctant to share with Alex – and the one thing he needn't to have been afraid to share. During Alex's second visit with Francis, the woman had suffered a psychotic break. After the incident, when they were driving back to the city, Bobby had tried to apologize for what had happened but Alex had stopped him, telling him he didn't have to apologize for his mother's illness. She understood.

As the visit progressed, Charles was able to finally get a glimpse at the life his younger, estranged brother now led. This woman called Alexandra seemed excellent with his mother, the care for the older woman genuine, and the mutual admiration palpable.

When it was finally time for Francis to sleep and the visit to end, she turned to Alex asking, "The poem, please."

Alex nodded, not needing to be reminded of the poem she had read to Francis at the conclusion of every visit. Her voice was warm and smooth with the practice of having repeated the poem for both Francis and Bobby on many occasions. One hand went out to stroke Francis's gray hair, now loose so she could sleep in ease, while the other held the dying woman's hand.

The familiar words from the poem _By Night When Others Soundly Slept _by Anne Bradstreet filled the air as Alex recited:

"_By night when others soundly slept  
And hath at once both ease and Rest,  
My waking eyes were open kept  
And so to lie I found it best._

_I sought him whom my soul did love,  
With tears I sought him earnestly.  
He bowed his ear down from above.  
In vain I did not seek or cry._

_My hungry soul he filled with good;  
He in his bottle put my tears,  
My smarting wounds washt in his blood,  
And banisht thence my doubts and fears._

_What to my saviour shall I give  
Who freely hath done this for me?  
I'll serve him here whilst I shall live  
And loue him to eternity."_

She said the last line in a whisper, watching the mother of her partner sleep peacefully. Quietly, Alex arose and left the room with one last look in Bobby's direction. Both men soon followed her and the door softly clicked shut behind them.

Finally out of the world of Francis Goren, Alex wanted nothing more than to hug her partner and slap him at the same time. The big lug just didn't realize how much he meant to her. As much as she wanted to, Alex knew that it was neither the time nor the place for her to throw herself into her partner's arms … if he was still her partner.

Charles was still slightly in shock at what the petite woman had done and the effect she had had on not only his mother but his younger brother as well. "I don't think I've ever seen anything like that." His eyes found Alex's and she noted that he had the same intense gaze as Bobby. "Thank you."

She shrugged, the easy nature she had portrayed with Francis gone as her anger and frustration came back, "It was nothing. Francis is a wonderful woman."

Charles shook his head, "No, no, it's not that. Before you came in … I could have sworn she was about to have a break. Then it was … the complete opposite. She really likes you, Alexandra."

Alex's eyes met him with a cool indifference to his praise, "_You_ call me Detective Eames. Only Francis calls me Alexandra. And you know what, Charles, I must ask you something: Where were you, yesterday? Or last month when she was diagnosed with cancer? Where the _hell_ have you been?"

"Eames," Bobby's calm voice found a way past her anger as Charles looked at her in shock, sputtering like a fish out of water.

Alex didn't stop. She was angry, damn it! And if she couldn't (wouldn't) take her anger out on Bobby, she was damn well going to take it out on his brother! "Bobby's been taking care of _your_ mother ever since he was seven years old. Where the hell were you? Do you wanna know what I think? I think that maybe it's time for you to step up to the plate and spend some time with your mother, Charles!" Her voice dropped into a low whisper Bobby recognized as the voice she used when she was trying her hardest not to yell, "She's _dying_, Charles. Frankly, I don't think you even care."

"I care," Charles protested, his voice low as he tried to hold back tears and rage at the accusations being thrown against him.

Alex cocked her head to one side before she uttered one final sentence, "Then start acting like it." She turned on her heel and walked as calmly as she could from Carmel Ridge. Bobby took one last look at his brother before walking after his partner.

He caught up with her at her car. "Eames," he said, grabbing her arm with one hand.

She turned to him and he could see the tears highlighting her face in the moonlit sky. "Damn it, Bobby," she said, her voice raw with emotion. "I told you not to shut me out, you big lug!"

Bobby gathered her into his arms, resting his cheek on the top of her head. He closed his eyes and breathed in the familiar scent that always calmed him down. "I'm so sorry," he whispered, "So, so sorry. Th-there was just … so much … too much … I-I didn't know what to do."

He pulled back slightly and lifted her face so their eyes could meet, "Forgive me?"

Her teary smile and the light kiss on the cheek she gave him were enough answer.

"Where's your car?" she asked a few minutes later.

"I took a cab," he answered, enjoying the feel of Alex in his arms. He wasn't sure exactly when it had happened, but somewhere along the line he had fallen in love with the woman he held. His partner. His best friend.

"Come on," she said, pulling away, "Let's go get something to eat."

"Like?" he asked as they got into her car.

"The diner three miles down is 24 hours."

Bobby nodded with a slight smile, "Sounds good, Eames."

As the pair ate the greasy food, Bobby told Alex a few things he'd been keeping from her. Things he knew she needed (and wanted) to know. It was close to eleven when his ramblings finally ceased.

"Come on," Alex said, dropping some money on the table for their bill. "It's late."

"Where are we going?" Bobby asked.

"I'm taking you home," she replied, letting him mull over her choice of words as they started back toward Manhattan.

---

The next morning, Bobby awoke to the smell of freshly brewed coffee and waffles. He smiled slightly as he got out of bed and started on his way to the kitchen. He watched Alex cook in silence, taking in the loving, meticulous manner she used as she prepared breakfast for the two of them.

He thought back to the night before. After arriving at his apartment, he'd asked her to stay. He didn't want to be alone – especially that night. With a nod and a smile, she had agreed, and stay she did. All night. He'd held her close in a manner that some would consider sexual, but was completely platonic. They were best friends, but he still wasn't sure what the extent of her feelings for him was.

When Alex turned toward him, a cup of coffee in her hands fixed just the way he drank it, she smiled, unknowingly answering his unspoken question. She handed him the mug with a friendly, "Good morning, Bobby. Feel better?"

He nodded, taking a sip of the hot liquid before setting it down on the counter and gathering his petite partner in his arms again. He breathed in the sent of his shampoo on her hair, his soap on her skin, as he softly said, "Thank you, Alex."

"For what?" she asked, her own arms snaking around his big form.

"For not leaving … for loving me."

She leaned up and kissed him fully on the mouth. When she pulled back she said, "Never doubt that. I'll _always_ love you."

Bobby's responding look, and the searing kiss he freely gave her were all the answer she needed to know how he felt. He pulled away, "Alex … we can't."

She scrunched her face up slightly before she said, "Yes we can."

"No we can't."

"Yes."

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"Yes." A small part of both of them felt like children for the one-dimension of their bickering.

"_No_."

Alex smiled loving, kissing Bobby again before saying, "Yes we can. The entire squad already thinks we are." She shrugged, "Consider it the fringe benefits."

"Alex, there's nothing _fringe_ about you."

"Shut up and kiss me."

"Whatever you say, Eames."

Fin

* * *

A/N: So? What do you think? Yes? No? Maybe? Please? 


End file.
